Wilmington teacher's mother honored by Obama on Inauguration Day

Friday

Jan 23, 2009 at 8:16 PMJan 23, 2009 at 8:24 PM

By Ana RibeiroStaff Writer

From New York’s Hudson River to the presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. Kelly Parker and her family could never have imagined they would jump so quickly from one of their scariest to one of their coolest moments.Parker, a special needs teaching assistant at Wilmington’s Blair Elementary School, went with her sister, stepfather and mother to witness President Barack Obama’s big day in a way most people didn’t. Obama took the occasion to honor her mother, flight attendant Sheila Dail, along with the rest of the crew of U.S. Airways Flight 1549, which made an emergency landing in the Hudson River on Jan. 15.Parker, 24, said her hands trembled as she stood in a room to meet the new president, who she described as kind and humble. The president, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, held a private meeting with the flight’s crew and their families, shaking their hands, posing for pictures and complimenting the crew on their courage, Parker said.“He just came through the door and immediately was the coolest person I’ve ever met,” Parker said. “I don’t think anybody prepared for him to take so much time with us. It was the craziest day of this man’s life... I’m very appreciative of what he did for my mom.”Days earlier, as the U.S. Airways Airbus began to sink into icy waters shortly after taking off for Charlotte, the 57-year-old Dail and her fellow crew members helped get all 150 passengers out safely and quickly. The five-member crew has been lauded as heroes, with most attention being given to pilot Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger.Good Morning America did seek out her mother at her Asheville home, Parker said, but she had to turn them away, because as a crew member, she is not yet allowed to speak publicly about the incident. But the call Dail’s family didn’t expect came Sunday, saying they were invited to Obama’s inauguration. Dail did not appear nervous as they boarded the plane the next day, Parker said.From then on, the president’s staff and U.S. Airways gave the flight’s crew members and their families star treatment, Parker said. They were escorted ahead of lines at the airport, had their own driver and bodyguards, got to dance at inaugural balls and her mother and fellow crew members sat at the podium during the ceremony, in front of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Parker sat near the stage, where actress Natalie Portman complimented her sunglasses.Parker said she is sharing her experience with students and plans to have them write letters to Obama.